Appalachian Trail (day 17) - Hogback Ridge Shelter to Erwin TN / mile 344

Some big unplanned miles today, I've placed myself strategically just outside the town of Erwin in Tennessee, where I'm hoping to resupply tomorrow.

Weather was still really good despite forecast predicting the rain. There was no big climbs along the way so the miles were passing quite quickly. Around 11 AM I've noticed people in bright vests and hard hats fixing the trail. They were volunteers from Carolina Mountain Club, cleaning up the damage hurricane Helene has caused. Later on I've passed next to a massive tree blow down section which has taken them few weeks to cut through. Not only they were doing that but one of them offered me an apple and some trail mix! Incredible people.

I carried on hiking and shortly after I heard someone singing behind me. When I stopped to top up the water, I've been joined by two girls: Sparrow and Scraps, it's been them I could hear singing, they've been having a "song off". The rule was to pick up a word from the song the other was singing and carry it on to a different song, who done it the most won.

I've arrived at the campsite very early, before 4 PM and to be honest the place was quite disappointing (each state cared for their shelters and campsites separately and it's seemed like Tennessee wasn't doing very well). There was no bear box or bear hang wires, no privy toilet and water was over two hundred metres down the trail. There was literally no reason to stay here and since I had time I carried on walking.

I've managed to find a good campsite just a mile away from the town, hanged the food on the tree best I could and I think I did fairly good job. I've ate can of beans I found at the trail magic and finished the tortillas. It was supposed to start raining at 7 PM, so I hid in the tent and relaxed. I could hear the hissing sounds of cars and trucks underneath as the sun went down.